Hydraulic steering plant for ships



May 31, 1966 c. c. JENSEN 3,253,566

HYDRAULIC STEERING PLANT yFOR SHIPS Filed Nov. 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m F/g, 1

33a; f yf/1# I, j 'f/ 22 293/ U f3 ql 2226 g3 22 27 EF 46 3749 25 M4 l o Q ll 24 5/ n: STPI 59 40 M T 3 lil 'l l 55 lli 5f Y 36 52 2i( 63 Il o 45 O y M? "l" 0 ;Ef-f-F-- 4 4 60 o 67 y 'l L May'31, 1966 c. c:` .JENSEN HYDRAULIC STEERING PLANT FOR SHIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet4 2 Filed NOV. 5, 1964 United States Patent O 3,253,566 HYDRAULIC STEERING PLANT FOR SHIPS Carl C. Jensen, Abildvej 10, Svendborg, Denmark Filed Nov. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 409,128 Claims priority, application Denmark, Nov. 6, 1963, 5,197/63, 5,198/63 8 Claims. (Cl. 114-150) This invention relates to hydraulic steering plants for ships.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved steering plant for ships which is so adapted that if the mechanical pump ceases, handsteering can be established automatically, and which can be controlled by automatic control `means such as electrical means which are controlled by ya compass.

In the accompanying drawings the plant according to the invention is illustrated.

FIGURE l is a diagram showing the hydraulic circuits of the plant, and

FIGURE 2 a combined pump with parts broken away.

The steering plant consists of a handpump 1 from which two pressure oil pipes 2 and 3 extend, the pipes 2 and 3 being connected by a pipe 4 having an equalization valve 5 for leakage oil. The valve 5 is connected to the oil tank of the pump 1 and has two valve balls which are counected by a rod, so that one of the valve seats is open when the other is closed. The pipes 2 -and 3 are connected to a sliding valve 6 having a slider 7 which is adapted to open two valves in the ends of the valve casing, whichv valves by means of pipes 8 and 9 are connected to ports 10 and 11 in a sliding valve 12.

From the pipes 8 and 9 two pipes 13 and 14 having nonreturn valves, and outside said valves other connecting pipes and 16 with non-return valves lead to ports 17 and 13 in the sliding valve 12. The pipes 13 and 14 continue directlyy to the -rudder steering cylinder having a left section 19 and a right section 20 with a connecting rod 21 which acts upon the rudder in a way which is not shownin the drawing.

The sliding valve 12 has a bore 22 which is closed in both ends and is longerI than the slider 23 for the valve, so that in the neutral position of the slider, which is shown in FIGURE 1, a liquid space is provided in each end of the bore, said liquid spaces being connected to pipes 24' and 25 through ports 26 and 2 7 which cannot be closed by the slider 23.

The slider 23 has two recesses 28 and 29 which in the neutral position of the slider are positioned at the ports 10 and 11. Said recesses 28 and 29 4are through channels and 31 in the slider connected to the liquid spaces at the' ends of the bore. Said connections are closed in the end positions of the slider. The one end of the slider has a pin member 32 extending through the end wall of the valve casing and being pivotally connected to a lever 33 having a pivot point 34.

A machine driven pump consists of three sections, viz. a main pump or a rudder pump 35, a return pump 36 and and an auxiliary pump 37, each having a rotor 38, 39 and 40 which encircle a central stator having inlets and outlets for pressure liquid. In FIGURE l the rotors are for the sake of clearness placed adjacent each other, but in the actual embodiment they are positioned on the same shaft or, as shown in FIGURE 2, they are in one piece and are driven from a common driving motor which is not shown in the drawing. The valve slider 23 is mounted in the same casing as the pumps, as shown in FIGURE 2. The rotors have radial bores 41, 42 and 43 in which pistons 44,y 45'and 46 are mounted. The pistons are according to FIGURE 2 shapedwas balls. The bores for the rudder pump vand the return pump 36 are encircled by an annular member 47 which by means of a rod 48 is connected to the lever '33, 'and the position of said member 47 deice' termines the stroke of the pistons in the radial bores. The stroke in a neutral position in which the annular member is concentric with the rotor is zero. When the annular member is moved to one of the sides the stroke will increase.

The bores of the auxiliary pump 37 are encircled by a similar annular member 49 which is connected to a rod 50 by means of which in a similar way it can be moved to one of the sides for varying the stroke of the pistons in this pump.

In the pumps 35, 36 and 37 the stator is by means of two partitions separated into two halves which constitute a pressure side and a suction side. When the annular members are moved away from the neutral position the bores in the rotors will suck during the passage of the one half and press during the passage of the other half of one revolution. The two liquid spaces in the auxiliary pump 37 are connected to pipes 51 and .52 which are connected to the pipes 24 and 25 and to two spaces in the return pump 36. The pipes 51 and 52 are mutually connected by means of an equalizing valve 53 for leakage oil. The two liquid spaces for the rudder pump 35 are connected to pipes 54 and 55 which through a sliding valve 56 of the same kind as the valve slider 6 is connected to the pressure cylinder parts 19 and 20 and with the pipes 13 and 14. Between the pipes 54 and 55 an equalizing valve 57 for leakage oil is provided.

The rod 50 is connected to a lever 58 which is mounted with a stationary pivot point 59 `and by a rod 60 is connected to an armature 61 in an electric solenoid 62. The armature 6.1 is mounted in the same casing as the pumps, FIGURE 2, and is adapted for movement to the left and to the right activated by the current in the solenoid, but it may also be moved by means of a handlever 63.

The solenoid 62 isdirectly connected to an automatic electric steering apparatus which is not shown in the drawing and which cooperates with a compass and is adapted to deliver electrical impulses which activate the solenoid 62.

The steering plant functions in the following way:

In `normal working the three pumps 35, 36 and 37 rotate, as the driving motor works continuously, but the annu-lar members 47 and 49 are in a neutral position, so that no pump eiect is gener-ated, i.e. the pistons 44, 45 and 46 rotate concentrically with the annular members.

If the handpump 1 is rotated, liquid will 'be pressed i through one of the pipes 2 or 3 depending on the direction of rotation. If the pipe 2 is the pressure pipe, the pressure liquid will arrive at the left side of the slider 7 and move it to the right, so that the right non-return valve will be' opened by the slider. The left non-return valve is opened by the pressure liquid, so that it through the pipe 8 can arrive at the port 10 and from there through the channel 30 to the left space at the end of the slider 23. The pressure liquid cannot penetrate into the pipe 24, as this is filled with liquid., and passage through the pumps 36 and 37 and the valve 53 is prevented. Pressure liquid cannot get out into the pipe 13, as the non-return valve in this pipe is kept closed by the spring, considering that the pressure which can move the piston in the cylinder 19 is greater than the pressure which can move the slider 23.

Accordingly, amovement of the slider 23 to the right in FIGURE 1 will take place, and thereby the lever'33 is rotated in the clockwise direction about the point 34, which generates a movement to the left of the rod 48 and thereby a movement of the annular member 47 to the left. This causes the two pumps 35 and 36 to start pumping. If the pumps rotate in a direction of the arrow A, the return pump 36 wil-l have the pipe 52 as pressure pipe and the pipe 51 as suction pump, whereby liquid is pumped from the left end of the valve 12 to the right end. Said liquid will try to move the slider 23 back to its neutral position, but as long as the handpump 1 is rotated the liquid will be returned to the handpump 1 through they port 29 and the pipes 9 and 3.

The rudder pump 35 will have the pipe 54 as pressure pipe and the pipe 55 as suction pipe and will move an amount of liquid from the cylinder to the cylinder 19. This causes a movement of the piston rod 21 to the righ-t in FIGURE 1 and thereby a movement of the rudder. The slider in the valve 56 opens, in the same way as it has been explained with regard to the valve 6, one of the non-return valves, and the pressure liquid opens the other.

If the rotation of the handpump 1 ceases, the return pump 36 will-as the oil cannot pass the handpump when it is not rotated-immediately build up a pressure in the right end of the valve 12 and move the slider 23 back to the neutral position shown in FIGURE l, whereby the annular member 47 through the rods 33 and 48 is also returned to its neutral position, and the two pumps and 36 stop their pumping.

By rotation of the handpump 1 in the opposite direction the same things occur in the opposite direction and through the other system of pipes, considering that the complete pipe system is symmetrical with respect to a vertical intermediate axis in FIGURE l.

If the handpump 1 is rotated and liquid is pressed into the pipe 2 and the machine driven pumps 35-37 do not rotate, the slider 23 will, -as previously explained, be moved to the right in FIGURE 1, but as the pumps 35 and 36 do not start pumping, the pressure which by the handpump is built up in the left end of the valve 12 will move the slider 23 completely to the right, whereby the slider 23 closes the connection between the channel 30 and the port 10, and the handpump 1 will now build up a pressure in the pipes 2 and 8, which pressure is suflicient to overcome the resistance of the spring in the nonreturn valve in the pipe 13. Pressure liquid can thereafter be pumped through the pipe 13 to the left cylinder 19 at the rudder, andthe latter will be moved alone by hand power. Pressure liquid is prevented in coming into the valve 56 by lthe left non-return valve, and it will be noted that pressure liquid from the handpump 1 only exists in the pipes 2, 8 and 13, as the valve 12 and the pumps are cut off from the handpump 1.

As it is practically impossible to have complete tightness in the parts mentioned it is an advantage that they -are cut olf from the pressure pipe of the handpump during hand steering, so that the complete pressure which is provided by the person turning the handpump will be used for movement of the rudder.

The liquid which is pressed away from the right cylinder 20 passes the pipe 14 and is led through the pipe 16, the recess 29 and the port 11 to the pipe 9 and from there through the pipe 3 back to the handpump 1, as the valve is opened by the piston.

The auxiliary pump 37 is used for automatic steering of the plant. As previously mentioned, the solenoid 62 receives electrical impulses from an automatic steering apparatus of known type. When the armature 61 moves the lever 58 will be turned around the point 59 and cause a movement of the annular member 49, so that the pistons 46 will begin to rotate eccentrically in relation to the annular member, whereby a pump function is started. This pump function results in a suction from one of the ends of the valve 12 to the other end, whereafter the slider 23 is moved to one of the sides, and the annular member 47 is moved by the rods 33 and 48 to one of the sides for starting the pump function of the rudder pump 35 and the return pump 36. The fact is that the auxiliary pump 37 takes over the work of the handpump 1 and in the same way as said pump causes movements of the slider 23 for controlling the annular member 47, and the return pump 36 pumps in the same way as is the case by normal handpump steering liquid to the opposite end of the slider 23 and tries to return the slider to its neutral position.

When an electric impulse to the solenoid 62 ceases a spring which is not shown in the drawing returns the armature 61, whereby the annular member 49 is returned to the neutral position, and the pump function of the auxiliary pump 37 ceases.

Because of the small energy which is required for moving the annular member 49 the normal effect of the impulses from the said automatic steering apparatus known per se can be used directly for activating the solenoid, so that it is not necessary to use booster devices and relays.

By arranging the plant in such a way that the pivot points 34 and 59 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the rods 33 and 58 the relation between the length of said arms may be varied, whereby it is possible steplessly to vary the capacity lof the pumps 35 and 36, whereby the plant can be regulated to a desired rudder time by a given number of revolutions of the driving motor. It is then possible without difficulties to adapt the plant to diiferent numbers of motor revolutions without the necessity yof exchanging any parts of the plant or make any alterations in the construction.

This is especially advantageous for the auxiliary pump 37, as it is thereby possible without difficulties to regulate the steering speed in relation t0 the special characteristics of the automatic steering devices used. As the lever 58 is mounted outside the oil pressure spaces the regulation can be carried out without draining out the oil from the plant. The regulation may be carried out during the working of the plant, i.e. without stopping the driving motor.

By means of the hand lever 63 it is possible to carry out a steering when the handpump does not function, and the electric automatic devices which deliver electrical impulses to the solenoid 62 do not function, as the annular member 49 can be moved'by means of the hand lever 63, whereby the auxiliary pump 37 is put into function and whereby its capacity can be controlled as desired for systematic movement of the rudder through the rudder pump 35.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ist 1. A hydraulic steering plant for ships having a hand-v pump which is adapted to deliver pressure liquid to a hydraulic control mechanism for an 4annular member in a continuously rotating rudder pump having radial cylinders for pistons the stroke of which is defined by the position -of the annular member, a return pump for returning the system to the neutral position being provided for rotation together with the rudder pump, characterized in a third pump, which is an auxiliary pump, that rotates together with the rudder pump and the return pump and in which a separate annular member for controlling the stroke of the radial pistons is provided, said annular member being mechanically connected to separate steering means, the pressure pipe and suction pipe of the auxiliary pump being connected to the hydraulic control mechanism for the annular member in the rudder and the return pumps in such a way that the latter annular member is moved when the auxiliary pump is pumping.

2. A plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressureand suction pipes of the auxiliary pump are connected to the pressure pipes and suction pipes of the return pump.

3. A plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection between the annular member of the auxiliary pump and the said separate steering means consists of a lever system having means for adjusting the gear ratio.

4. A plant according to claim 1, characterized in that said separate steering means is connected to an automatic steering device cooperating with a compass. 'l

5. A steering plant according to claim 1, characterized in that said separate steering means and its connection to said annular member consists of an electric solenoid the armature of which is mechanically connected to the annular member of the auxiliary pump and which is electrically connected to an electric impulse-giving device cooperating with a compass.

6. A steering plant according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means for the auxiliary pump consists of a hand lever.

7. A steering plant according to claim 1, in which the hydraulic control mechanism is a sliding valve and the handpump through non-return valves is connected to the pressure cylinders of the rudder moving device, so that pressure liquid from the handpump-if the return pump does not rotate-is pressed through the open non-return valve to one of the said pressure cylinders, characterized in that the slider and the ports in the slider valve bore are so arranged that in the end positions of the slider the connection between the return pump and the handpump is cut off, whereby liquid passage from one of the pressure cylinders in the rudder moving device to the handpump is permitted.

8. A steering plant according to claim 7, characterized in that the slider is connected to the annular member by means of a lever system having means for adjusting the gear ratio.

No references cited.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Examiner. 

1. A HYDRAULIC STEERING PLANT FOR SHIPS HAVING A HANDPUMP WHICH IS ADAPTED TO DELIVER PRESSURE LIQUID TO A HYDRAULIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR AN ANNULAR MEMBER IN A CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING RUDDER PUMP HAVING RADIAL CYLINDERS FOR PISTONS THE STROKE OF WHICH IS DEFINED BY THE POSITION OF THE ANNULAR MEMBER, A RETURN PUMP FOR RETURNING THE SYSTEM TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION BEING PROVIDED FOR ROTATION TOGETHER WITH THE RUDDER PUMP, CHARACTERIZED IN A THIRD PUMP, WHICH IS AN AUXILIARY PUMP, THAT ROTATES TOGETHER WITH THE RUDDER PUMP AND THE RETURN PUMP AND IN WHICH A SEPARATE ANNULAR MEMBER FOR CONTROLLING THE STROKE OF THE RADIAL PISTONS IS PROVIDED, SAID ANNULAR MEMBER BEING MECHANICALLY CONNECTED TO SEPARATE STEERING MEANS, THE PRESSURE PIPE AND SUCTION PIPE OF THE AUXILIARY PUMP BEING CONNECTED TO THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE ANNULAR MEMBER IN THE RUDDER AND THE RETURN PUMPS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE LATTER ANNULAR MEMBER IS MOVED WHEN THE AUXILIARY PUMP IN PUMPING. 